This fabric hood pays aesthetic homage to the classic convertible of yesteryear, but is constructed with the latest technology for the needs of modern motoring.

The Dawn is one of those rare cabrios that look fantastic, regardless of whether the roof is down or not.

The Rolls-Royce of today is designed to be driven, not chauffeured in.

A lot of room at the back - note the evocative "waterfall" effect on the wood trim between the two armchairs.

Rolls-Royce use a variety of wood in its cars. In our Dawn, an open-pored version (as opposed to polished) is picked for its modern feel.

Similar to BMW's iDrive, the touch-sensitive controller recognises finger-drawn characters.

The V12 engine is silent, even when pushed hard.

It takes just two days for the veneer to soften enough to be applied to the curved surface of the interior trim.

The innovative French Seam roof stitching creates a perfectly smooth upper roof surface that enables smoother airflow for a hushed top-up motoring experience. At the same time, six layers of fabric further insulate against traffic noise for a cabin that is nearly as calm as the Wraith’s.

The soft top opens swiftly – it takes 22 seconds – and in keeping with Rolls-Royce tradition, silently.

Another signature RR feature are the coach doors, which allow easier ingress and egress in tight parking situations.

A side benefit of the coach doors is increased body rigidity, which is even more essential for a convertible, as the front pillar is not encumbered by a front-hinged door structure.

So despite its size, the chassis of the 5.3-metre-long Dawn betrays little scuttle shake.

This enhances the composure of the Rolls, which accelerates from zero to 100 kmh in 5.1 seconds and has a dynamic accelerator pedal mapping for increased response.

Even though its 6.6-litre V12 twin-turbo engine has a lower output than the Wraith, it is still a prodigiously powerful car, with extremely healthy torque to ensure effortless progress.

In fact, the Dawn is a very enjoyable convertible because it does not compromise – on space, speed or luxury. It rides beautifully on air suspension and it is adequately agile for an over-2.5-tonne car with a sumptuous interior.

It is a convertible where everything from comfort to refinement is upsized.

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